The Met Office has confirmed that the current heatwave in the UK is expected to persist until at least Friday, with temperatures continuing to exceed 30°C in many areas. A Level 3 Heatwave Action has been issued for large parts of England, indicating a 90% probability that these conditions will remain until 9am on Friday.
An amber Extreme Weather Warning, the first of its kind, has been extended to cover much of Wales, all of South West England, parts of southern and central England, and Northern Ireland from Wednesday morning until midnight on Friday. Temperatures could reach 33°C in some regions.
Public Health England has extended its heat-health alert until Friday, urging caution, especially for vulnerable groups such as older people and those with heart or lung conditions. Dr Owen Landeg, Scientific and Technical Lead at PHE, advised: 'It’s important to keep checking on those who are most vulnerable.'
While the heatwave continues, isolated thunderstorms are expected in parts of Central and South East England, with a yellow thunderstorm warning in place. The Met Office warned of potential travel disruption and sudden flooding, with 30-60mm of rainfall possible in one to two hours.
Chief Operational Meteorologist Steven Ramsdale noted that temperatures should fall for most areas by the weekend, with more unsettled conditions expected to develop.
